The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry

More doublespeak from UK Energy Minister about nuclear subsidies

Hayes today reiterated that “there should be nothing available for nuclear that’s not available for other technologies”

(A subsidy is a subsidy is a subsidy – even if other forms of energy get one, too)

U.K. Will Reject EDF Nuclear Deal That Puts Burden on Consumers, Bloomberg By Sally Bakewell – Nov 6, 2012 The U.K. government is prepared to walk away from a deal with Electricite de France SA over plans to build the first nuclear plant in the country since the 1980s if the power price demanded by the utility is too high.

The government would “absolutely” refuse a deal that placed too great a burden on consumers, Energy Minister John Hayes said today in London . He held talks yesterday with Vincent de Rivaz, chief executive officer of EDF’s local unit.
Britain and EDF are negotiating the terms of a contract that would guarantee the price of power generated at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The U.K. is trying to encourage investors to build new atomic plants to meet the 110 billion pounds ($176 billion) of investment required to replace an aging fleet of stations, without adding to consumer bills already set to rise.
“As I looked into the eyes of Vincent de Rivaz yesterday, I told him that the government will always put the national interest first,” Hayes said at the Energy and Climate Change Committee hearing in Parliament. Both sides are entitled to walk away under the terms of their contract, he said. EDF’s de Rivaz said Oct. 23 more progress and a compelling business case were needed before it makes a final investment decision on Hinkley.
Hayes, who was appointed in September, told de Rivaz he wants to know what the deal might look like by the beginning of December, “such that the terms can be agreed by the end of the year,” he said. Yesterday’s meeting was “productive and positive,” Hayes said.

Price for Power

A guaranteed price for power offered through so-called contracts for difference has been proposed to help speed up low- carbon investment in the electricity market. The plans have faced criticism from groups including Greenpeace which says guaranteed prices amount to a subsidy for the nuclear industry.

Hayes today reiterated that “there should be nothing available for nuclear that’s not available for other technologies”.

The global movement for a clean non nuclear future – theme for March 2015

The nuclear lobby, the corporate establishment, governments and the mainstream media just don’t “get it”. But the world is moving away from top-down, centrally organised, vertically structured systems. Nuclear power, even that last ditch hope, “little” nuclear reactors – all are part of the out-dated systems.

There’s still a place for some centralised systems, with renewable energy transported by the grid. But along with the now horizontally organised communications – net-working across the world, grow the flexible and versatile systems of decentralised electricity generation.

Above all – the ever more rapid spread of ideas and campaigns. Some, we know, are harmful campaigns. But the movement for clean energy is unstoppable – spreading as it does from person to person – not relying on organisation by authorities and experts.

Indigenous campaigns lead the way – whether it be in America, Australia, Malaysia – indigenous peoples have already shown how they can slow down, even stop, the nuclear juggernaut.